Offshore breakwater design for Shanghumugham soon

Thiruvananthapuram: While the offshore breakwater scheme at Poonthura is underway for shore protection and beach nourishment, the design for similar work at Shanghumugham is in the final stage of preparation, as per the assembly records.
Water resources minister Roshy Augustine had told the assembly on August 29 that the National Centre for Coastal Research was entrusted with the study on designing coastal protection works at Shanghumugham. Shanghumugham is one among the nine hotspots that is facing severe coastal erosion in the state.
The shore protection works at Poonthura have been temporarily halted due to inclement weather.
The officials with the Kerala Coastal Area Development Corporation said that although it was early to say and requires a scientific analysis, the work so far has yielded positive results.
“During the monsoon, waves used to lash up to the road. This year, the approach of the waves has been nil. Besides, we estimate that the beach has been restored at approximately 10m width. These are good signs but we need a scientific study to ascertain the actual benefits of the scheme,” a project official said.
The work on one segment has been completed. Each segment measures 100m in length. The total work includes four gaps and five segments. Geo-synthetic tubes have to be laid in three layers in each segment.
“Once the work resumes, we hope to complete it by January/February 2023. We hope that the weather stays fine since the work is being done under extremely challenging conditions,” the official added.
The change in location from the actual project design has added to the challenge. The initial plan was to lay a tube in front of the beach. However, demand arose that it be done near the settlement which is close to the seawall. Waves lash hard at the seawall during rough weather making the work extremely difficult.
As per the project document, Poonthura sandbank where the Killiyar discharges into the sea situated at the south side of the coastline has to be protected.
Unprotected beach measuring 750m lies north of the existing sandbank. This beach is being used by the fishermen community for fish landing operations. High waves resulted during Ockhi and subsequent depressions washed away the beach and the fishermen lost their beach for landing the vessels. The beach is protected with a seawall for a length of about 400mThe existing shore protection systems were found ineffective and in many places the seawall collapsed, the document has noted.